Accessible Melbourne, Australia

Where to Find the Services You Need

By Anne Vize

Like most cities in the world, Melbourne has its hassles, but if you know where to look you can find the access and services you need.

Travellers Aid Access Service (TAAS)

Located in the heart of the central business district of Melbourne, TAAS provides a wide range of services for people with a disability, including: information for people visiting Melbourne and Victoria; free
personal care for people visiting the city who require assistance with meals or toileting; communication assistance including access to a TTY phone and accessible computers and internet; wheelchair services; a safe base in the heart
of the city with a lounge area, television, café, and attendant care staff.

The TAAS site (see below) gives the visitor to Melbourne a host of information and useful links to services which will be handy during a trip to Melbourne. There is a link to a mobility map of Melbourne as well as
a guide to accessible toilets. There is also a mobility map in the “Melways,” Melbourne’s street directory.

Getting Around

Access to trains is simple: all you need to do is wait toward the end of the platform where the driver can see you and a ramp will be brought to you to enable you to access the carriage. Tell the driver where
you would like to get off and he or she will assist you at your station.

Only one tram line provides wheelchair access, the Yarra Trams Route 109, although many places can still be accessed via the train system, which has a number of stations through the center of the city. Melbourne’s
buses are becoming wheelchair accessible, but you will need to do some research with individual bus companies as to which routes have lowered floor buses available. Wheelchair accessible taxis, referred to as M50 taxis, can be booked through
Silvertop by calling 613-8413-7202 or Black Cabs at 61-3-9277-3877. If you prefer a self-drive option, Norden has commuter vans with wheelchair hoists and restraints available for hire. Call 61-3-9793-1066. Hertz also has cars with hand
controls available at 13-30-39. Overseas visitors are entitled to a temporary disabled parking permit providing you have one which has been issued by your home town. Call Vicroads at 61- 3-9854-2666 for further details.

Accommodations

NICAN, which provides a searchable database of information on accessible venues including accommodations, is available as a link from the TADAS site.

Communication

Services for people who are hearing impaired are available through the Australian Communication Exchange. The contact number for the National Relay Service is 133-677 or the Speech to Speech Relay service is
1300-555-727.

The following links should help get your planning underway for a trip to Melbourne. There is so much to see and do that you need to make sure you allow enough time to fit everything in.

Anne Vize is a freelance writer from Melbourne who has worked as a special education teacher with young people with severe and multiple disabilities. She is the author of Literacy for
Living and Skills for Work (Phoenix Education) as well as numerous magazine articles.